Golf buggies having a folding frame and retractable wheels



May 16, 1967 G. J. F. 1.15m. 3,319,973

OLF BUGGIES HAVING A FOLDING FRAME AND RETRACTABLE WHEELS Filed Aug. 27, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 16, 1967 .1. F. LElTL GOLF BUGGIES HAVING A FOLDING FRAME AND RETRACTABLE WHEELS Filed Aug. 27, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FlG-S. JWZZ'I,

Gear e if: Leif! United States Patent 3,319,973 GOLF BUGGEES HAVING A FQLDING FRAME AND RETRACTABLE WHEELS George Johann Felix Leitl, 40 Station St., Sandringham, Victoria, Australia Filed Aug. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 392,383 1 Claim. (Cl. 280-42) This invention relates to folding golf buggies for the support and transport of golf bags normally used by golfers.

It is the principal objective of the present invention to provide a golf buggy of lightweight constructioncapable of folding to a size suitable for convenient carriage in a motor vehicle.

it is a further objective of the invention to provide a folding golf buggy capable of being dismantled at will to form a convenient golf bag supporting device.

With the above stated objectives in view, there is provided according to the invention a foldable golf bugg comprising a bag supporting frame and a pair of convergent complemental frame members to support said bag supporting frame in disposition over a pair of transport wheels each of which is pivotally connected to and supports one of said members which are pivoted to each other at their upper ends for relative angular movement between an extended operative position and retracted folded position, and a pair of control links each of which is pivoted toward its outer end to one of the complemental frame members and at the inner end connected to the other link at a point lying on a perpendicular to the pivotal axis of the frame members, each of said links being pivotally connected to the associated transport wheel, the arrangement being such that, upon a folding movement being imparted to the complemental frame members, the control links angularly move from a position of alignment upwardly to advance their point of connection towards the pivot axis of the complemental frame legs to thereby draw the transport wheels towards each other whilst maintaining the latter substantially vertical.

Folding golf buggies constructed according to the invention provide a convenient means of transport for golf bags and may be conveniently stored or carried when in the folded and/ or dismantled position.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, one practical arrangement of a folding golf buggy according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a golf buggy according to the invention shown in a splayed operative position.

FIGURE 2 is a cross section side elevation of the buggy undercarriage taken along the line AA in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation of the buggy undercarriage in an operative position.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the buggy undercarriage in an operative position.

FIGURE 5 is a view of the buggy undercarriage in a folded position.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 3, the buggy consists of an undercarriage comprising two complemental frame legs 1 and 2, which are pivotally hinged at 3 about a horizontal plane and splayable outwardly to form an inverted V configuration, and a bag supporting member 28.

A pair of transport wheels 5 and 6 are located outside the frame legs 1 and 2, each Wheel being rotatably mounted on an individual axle 7 and 8 respectively pivoted pivotally connected by substantially vertical arms 9 and 10 to each frame legs 1 and 2 towards the bottom thereof.

ice

The upper portions of vertical arms 9 and 10 are provided with vertically extending slots 9' and 16', respectively.

The control links 11 and 12 are interposed between the frame legs and each link is connected at its inner end to a pivot 13 located between and equidistant from wheels 5 and 6 and the other end portions of the links are pivotally connected to the frame legs 1 and 2 and also to by extensions 14 and 15 to the arms 9 and 10 connected with the frame legs 1 and 2. At their outer ends control link extensions 14 and 15 are provided with pins 26, 27 respectively, which slidably engage in slots 9', 10' of arms 9 and 10 respectively.

Pivot 13 is locate-d equidistant between pins 26, 27 in the vertical plane passing through the pivot of said legs, and in the central plane of said legs.

The pivot 13 is provided with locking means 16 slidably located on link 12 and engageable with the end 29 of link 11.

When the frame members 1 and 2 are splayed apart as shown in FIGURE 3 or folded together as shown in FIGURE 5, the action of the control links 11 and 12 in response to movement of the frame members 1 and 2 automatically sets the transport wheels 5 and 6 in a vertical position. Further, the transport wheels will remain in a vertical position in any intermediate setting of the frame legs 1 and 2.

When the frame members are splayed apart, the pivot 13 may be locked in this position by locking means 16 to stabilize the bug-g I as shown in FIGURE 4.

The bag supporting member comprises a tubular member 28 provided at one end with a bag rest 41 and at the other end with a hand grip 37 fixed to a rod 38 telescopically located Within the tubular member 28.

The hand grip may thus be extended to any desired position and then locked in position by tightening a clamp 36 which firmly clamps the end of the tube 23 against the rod 38 locking it in the selected position.

Located on the tube 28 is a pair of fixed tubular members 32 located one on each side of the tube 28 and a similar pair of tubular members 33, the members 33 being free to slide along the tube 28 as shown in FIGURE 2. To attach the undercarriage to the bag supporting member, the studs 35 on the undercarriage are fitted into the fixed pair of tubular members 32 on the tube 28 of the bag supporting member and the pair of tubular members 33 are then slid over the studs 35 on the undercarriage firmly locking the bag supporting member and undercarriage together. Using the straps 39 and 46 a golf bag 47 may then be mounted on the assembled buggy for convenient transport. When desired, the undercarriage may be removed and the golf bag is then readily supported by the bag supporting member and is retained in an upright position when the bag rest 41 is stood on the ground. To facilitate handling of the undercarriage when in a folded position as shown in FIGURE 5, carrying straps 30 and 31 may be provided.

I claim:

A foldable golf buggy comprising an understructure having a frame comprised of a pair of legs pivoted to each other at their upper ends so as to be either splayed outwardly or folded toward each other, said legs each being pivotally connected at its lower end portion with means supporting horizontal wheel axles, wheels mounted on said axles to be vertically disposed when the legs are splayed, wheel control linkage comprising an upwardly extending arm on each axle supporting means and each of said arms being provided with a vertical slot in its upper portion, a pair of Wheel control links, each pivotally connected to one of said legs toward the lower portions of said legs respectively, and said links having extensions extending outwardly beyond said legs and having pins slidably engaging in the slots of said arms, respectively, said wheel control links being pivotally connected to each other at their inner ends in a plane passing perpendicular to the pivotal axis of said legs and in the central plane of said legs, and at a distance from said axis Where a line between said pins intersects said vertical plane when the structure is opened for use, whereby when said understructure frame is retracted with legs brought together, the wheel control linkage maintains said wheels in vertical position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,743,115 4/1956 Rutledge 28042 3,007,710 11/1961 Sykes 280-42 3,083,029 3/1963 Russell 28036 FOREIGN PATENTS 800,918 9/1958 Great Britain.

10 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Examiner.

M. S. SALES, L. D. MORRIS, Assistant Examiners, 

